Depression is a mood disorder where a person feels persistent sadness and lack of interest. Symptoms of depression are fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, loss of energy, difficulty thinking or making decisions, and thoughts of death or suicide. Therapist Alison Saponara writes, “Chances are that if you have anxiety, you’ve also struggled with depression at some point in your life. They’re very connected.” The expert further added, “Although I know it is not so easy to break free from depression, here are some things that you should not do when you are struggling with depression.”
Also Read: 5 Symptoms of High Functioning Depression; How is it different from clinical depression?
8 things we should avoid when we’re spiraling:
ignoring our issues: No matter how insignificant we feel and the emotions we experience, we must turn a blind eye to those issues and not dwell on them at any cost. We should sit with our issues and think deeply.
disordered sleep patterns: A healthy sleep routine is very important to keep the nervous system relaxed and calm. We should not stay in bed too late or allow our sleep patterns to be disrupted.
locking themselves indoors: We should motivate ourselves to get out of the house and roam in nature. This can help us take our minds away from the spiral. Staying inside can make us feel bad.
Focusing on disappointing news:The media can depress us with news of terrible events happening around the world. We should try to stay away from such news as much as possible.
Do not run: We should not try to escape from our emotions with the help of social media or video games. Instead, we need to learn to sit with our feelings and address them in a healthy way.
feeling guilty: We should never feel guilty about our depression. Instead, we should try to find ways to address our emotions and make ourselves feel better.
Compare:Comparing yourself to others is an unhealthy way of looking at life. We must remember that everyone has their own journeys, and we need to focus on our journey.
seeking support: We should seek help from people around whom we feel safe – friends and family. We can also seek medical help when things go out of control.
